Children, obey your parents in everything, for
this is pleasing to the Lord.

21

Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they
may not become discouraged.

22

Slaves, 9 obey your human
masters in everything, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but in
simplicity of heart, fearing the Lord.

23

Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the
Lord and not for others,

24

knowing that you will receive from the Lord the
due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ.

25

For the wrongdoer will receive recompense for
the wrong he committed, and there is no partiality.

1 [1-4] By retaining the message of
the gospel that the risen, living Christ is the source of their salvation, the
Colossians will be free from false religious evaluations of the things of the
world (⇒ Col 3:1-2). They have died to these; but one
day when Christ . . . appears, they will live with Christ in the presence of
God (⇒ Col 3:3-4).

2 [5-17] In lieu of false asceticism
and superstitious festivals, the apostle reminds the Colossians of the moral
life that is to characterize their response to God through Christ. He urges
their participation in the liturgical hymns and prayers that center upon God's
plan of salvation in Christ (⇒ Col 3:16).

3 [5,8] The two lists of five vices each
are similar to enumerations at ⇒ Romans 1:29-31 and
⇒ Gal 5:19-21.

4 [6] The wrath of God: see the note
on ⇒ Romans 1:18. Many manuscripts add, as at
⇒ Eph 5:6, "upon the disobedient."

5 [8-10] Put . . . away; have taken
off; have put on: the terms may reflect baptismal practice, taking off garments
and putting on new ones after being united with Christ, here translated into ethical
terms.

8
[⇒ 3:18-⇒ 4:6] After general
recommendations that connect family life and the social condition of slavery
with the service of Christ (⇒ Col
3:18-⇒ 4:1), Paul requests prayers for
himself, especially in view of his imprisonment (⇒ Col
3:2-3), and recommends friendly relations and meaningful discussions
of Christian teaching with outsiders, i.e., non-Christians
(⇒ Col 3:5-6). See the note on ⇒ Eph
5:21-⇒ 6:9.

9 [22-25] Slaves: within this table
of duties in family and societal relations, involving wives and husbands,
children and parents (⇒ Col 3:18-21), such as also
appears in ⇒ Eph
5:22-⇒ 6:9, slaves here receive special
attention because of the case of Onesimus the slave returning to his master
(⇒ Col 4:9; ⇒ Philemon
1:10-12).